Blackinnon Week 2015
by HarryPotterForever1997
Summary: A series of one-shots I wrote based on preset prompts during Tumblr's Blackinnon Week 2015. All reviews are appreciated. I hope you enjoy these!
1. Day 1 - Childhood

"What are you doing up here?"

Sirius looked up at the sound of James' voice. He just shrugged, looking around the top of the astronomy tower. It was always peaceful here.

"Just thinking."

"That doesn't seem like you." James quipped, settling next to him. Sirius didn't bother responding, which was a little concerning. "What's wrong?" He asked in a more serious tone.

"I just don't really want to go home."

"Well it's only the end of first year and…oh."

"Yeah."

"I know that they're pretty bad but-"

"They're going to hate me."

"Sirius…"

"They _are_ , you don't understand. They'll hear that I got sorted into Gryffinfor and go absolutely ballistic."

"Then don't-"

"My cousins probably already did."

There was silence for a few minutes as both boys considered that point. Sirius continued brooding while James furiously searched for a solution.

"Stay with me."

"I - what?"

"Just spend the summer at my place, my parents won't mind."

"Mine will." James just rolled his eyes.

"Your parents can't be harder to escape than Filch." Sirius smirked a little at that.

"I'll think about it."

"Just come, Marlene's coming too and I haven't spoken to her since I was nine."

"Who's that?"

"The blonde one who hangs out with Lily Evans."

"I don't think I've ever spoken to her either."

"Potter? Black?" James' eyebrows raised at the voice and Sirius saw why a few seconds later.

A tall (for a 12-year old) blonde girl with messy curls moved into the light with a confused expression on her face.

"What are you two doing up here?"

"Thinking." James answered promptly.

"That doesn't sound like you."

"Oi, you don't even _know_ Sirius!" "Yeah, I meant _you_." James scowled a little before changing the subject.

"Say, will I see you this summer? I was just trying to get Sirius to come over." Marlene didn't bother responding directly.

"Oh _please_ come." She pleaded, turning to Sirius. "You can't leave me all alone with him."

"Hey!" The corners of Sirius' mouth twitched a little.

"That would be criminal. I'll do my best to save you from such a fate."

"Hey!"

o-O-o

Sirius couldn't believe it. He was actually going, he was going to the Potter house and he was going to spend a week there - a whole week! He felt a lightness that he hadn't spent ever since he returned to Black Manor - the house always dampened his spirits, and his parents' less than savoury reactions to his return had just made things worse… But that didn't matter because he was going to the Potter mansion - for a week!

Perhaps he was more enthusiastic than one would expect from someone flooing into the Potter house, which is probably why he dove straight into the living room when he arrived, colliding with Marlene who was peacefully reading on the carpet in front of the fireplace.

"Oomph."

"Who - Marlene, is that you?"

"Yes." She replied in a weak voice.

"Merlin, I'm sorry." He said, rolling off her quickly.

When his vision wasn't obscured with yellow (she had a lot of hair), he noticed James sitting on the sofa and grinning at them.

"Hullo." He said, getting up and flopping down next to him.

"Thank God you're here, I've been so bored. All Marlene does is read."

"I picked up this book five minutes ago so I wouldn't have to listen to anymore of your whining! _'He said he'd be here, why isn't he here yet, do you think his parents changed their mind? Why isn't he here yet?'_ " James had never looked more affronted.

"I do not talk like that." He said petulantly. "And that's not how it happened." Marlene gave Sirius a knowing look.

"Who do you believe?" She asked in a confident tone.

"Well considering how I'm universally adored…" (not even close to the truth, his own family didn't love him).

"Please, you both are visiting _me_." James said, crossing his arms. "You clearly couldn't _stand_ the thought of waiting a whole summer to see me again." Marlene caught Sirius' eye.

"Shut it Potter." They said simultaneously.

"Hey!"

o-O-o

That was the first of many summers the three of them spent together. Things changed over time, of course - Sirius moved in, they became closer friends with the other 'Marauders' (a group not fully formed yet), other people (like Lily) visited too, but one thing was certain. Every summer, James Sirius and Marlene would spend at least a week at Potter Mansion. This entailed many things over the years - teasing James, wiling time away, Quidditch, planning pranks, trying to settle the question of James and Lily (Marlene was outnumbered with that one), and one time, it even involved James walking in on a sight he swore he wished he'd never seen.

But that, of course, comes much later.


	2. Day 2 - Beginning of the relationship

On the eve of James Potter's 17th birthday, Sirius had a very strange thought.

Marlene McKinnon was beautiful.

It wasn't that he hadn't noticed how attractive she was before - he always did have a thing for blondes - but there was a difference between noticing someone's beauty and acknowledging it. Marlene wasn't just fit, or pretty, or good-looking, she was _beautiful_. It wasn't a quality he'd ever really attributed to anyone before - he'd never paid close enough attention to. Sirius had never thought of beauty as an external thing - to him, it was much more than how someone looked, it was how they thought and lived, it was essentially who they _were._ Sirius shook himself out of his thoughts and gulped down his firewhisky, grimacing a little. A very strange thought indeed.

o-O-o

Sirius Black was staring at her. It wasn't the first time she'd felt a boy's eyes on her that night - she'd been dancing for almost an hour now - but it was the first time it didn't make her feel uncomfortable, or irritated. Because Sirius was looking at her in a way she'd never seen him look at anyone before. He seemed…observant. And in awe. As though he was admiring something from afar. Admiring _her_ from afar. She stopped dancing suddenly and looked right at him. He didn't flinch or look away - he wasn't embarrassed to be caught looking at her because he wasn't doing anything that warranted shame. Suddenly she felt a very strong urge to go and talk to him - it wasn't like any of the other impulses that she'd squashed that night, this wasn't the result of illicit substances floating in her bloodstream, it came from something deeper. Something that shifted in her chest and made her feel this inexplicable need to go and talk to Sirius Black.

"Hullo." Marlene said, sitting down next to Sirius. He sent her a sidelong glance, he hadn't been expecting her company.

"Hey." He said softly, turning to look at her. Her blonde hair was slightly messy but her eyes were wide and alert. Clearly, she wasn't even close to intoxicated.

"Jamsie's seventeen." She said in an amazed tone. "That's crazy, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I mean, I turned seventeen in October, but this is just…strange."

"That's because it's _James_ , he isn't supposed to get older."

"Our resident Peter Pan." He commented with a smirk. Marlene knew that she should say something in response, but she decided to address something else instead.

"You were staring at me just now." Her tone wasn't accusatory, merely curious.

"Yeah."

"Why?" She didn't even know why she was asking, but the answer seemed important to her.

"You're beautiful." He said and then grimaced. "That was so soppy, but it's true." And for some reason, it sounded true. She didn't shake her head like she usually did at compliments because she wanted to believe he thought that way. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I feel strange, Marlene."

"So do I." She whispered. Somehow, they'd gotten much closer and despite the noise around them, he heard her perfectly.

"I know this is strange, but I want to-"

"Me too."

"But we shouldn't."

"No, Prongs would kill me."

"And he'd hate to have his best friend taken away from him."

"Yes, he would."

"So we shouldn't."

"No."

He could see that she wanted to continue arguing, but instead of saying something she merely leaned forward and lightly pressed her lips to his. He started a little, but didn't pull away, beginning to reciprocate after a moment. It wasn't particularly heated or passionate, but it was more significant than all of the kisses he'd had so far. It was softer, sweeter, it meant more - and just like her, it was beautiful.


	3. Day 3 - Development of the relationship

The boys' dormitory was silent and empty that night, aside from James and Sirius. The former was idly playing with his snitch, while the latter was pondering something that he found quite odd.

"Prongs?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"How did you know you were in love with Lily?" James froze, the snitch clutched tight in his fist and turned onto his side so he could see Sirius' bed.

"What?" He said blankly.

"How did you know you were in love with Lily?" Sirius repeated, in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone. He was just trying to mask his inner panic. He'd never felt this way before, and this was the only explanation for it.

"Who is this about?"

"No one."

"Padfoot, you don't ask hypothetical questions about things like this. I'm your best mate, you can tell me."

"Trust me, I _want_ to, but it might be best if I didn't." James sighed, but acquiesced easily.

"Alright. I kept it from you when Lily and I first started dating, you have a right to do the same. Although I have been waiting for you to tell me for about a month now…"

"But I've never…"

"Please, did you think I wouldn't notice?" Sirius had no response. "Anyway, I think I realised that I loved Lily…around my seventeenth birthday."

"But _how?"_

"Well, I'd always been mad about her - you know that better than anyone. But I realised something." Sirius just looked at him expectantly. "I realised that she mattered more to me than most things." Sirius looked at him incredulously. "Let me explain - I mean, that her happiness and well-being took precedent over a lot of things. She certainly mattered a lot more than me - she didn't matter more than you-" Sirius smirked.

"Of course."

"-but she didn't matter less either. She just mattered in a _different_ way. I would have done anything to make her smile, and when her mum died, all I wanted to be able to make her smile again - I felt like I _had_ too. And I just realised that this sounds awfully similar to how I feel about most of my friends, but there's a difference between loving someone and being _in_ love with them. Do you understand me?" To his immense surprise, Sirius realised he did.

"You're crap at explaining it, but yeah, I guess I do."

"Good. Do you feel better now?"

"Yes…" Sirius said uncertainly. James chuckled disbelievingly.

"You're terrified, aren't you?"

" _Yes?_ How the hell did this happen?!" James just laughed harder.

"I don't know, but when I meet this girl, I'll have to shake her hand for causing it." Sirius just smiled knowingly, not betraying a thing.

o-O-o

"You're in love with him." Lily said firmly. Marlene shook her head again. "You _are_! Everything you described, that's what love is! It's how I feel with James!" Marlene shook her head again, stubbornly.

"It's only been a month!" She said desperately.

"So what? I was in love with James before we even started dating." Marlene shot her a pointed look.

"Yes, but you two are different."

"Be that as it may, you are in love with this mystery person - _don't_ shake your head again, what are you so afraid of?"

"He's not - he's not - I don't think he could love me back." Marlene said in a rush. Lily's eyes widened.

"Well that's just bullshit." She said. Marlene raised her eyebrows and she shrugged. "This situation warrants swearing. Marl - different people fall in love in different ways and at different times. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't _ever_ love you. If I had to guess, I'd assume that he's in love with you too."

"I doubt it."

"Why?"

"It isn't about me - necessarily - it's about him. He's…he's been through a lot, and I just…don't know if he could ever let himself-"

"Marlene." Lily said, cutting her off in a stern tone. "Are you dating Remus?" Marlene's mouth dropped open from the shock. She looked flabbergasted.

"I - what - no, I'm - how would you even-" She blustered. Lily leaned back against her headboard with a satisfied grin on her face. "I'm _not!_ I mean, Remus is great but I don't _love_ him- _"_

"Hm. Exactly what you said about your mystery boyfriend a minute ago." Lily said, smirking a little. Marlene opened her mouth to argue back but evidently thought better of it and flopped back down onto her bed.

 _Love? Shit._

o-O-o

" _I need to talk to you."_ Marlene and Sirius said simultaneously. They blinked in surprise and then Sirius laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Right, well…we'll go to our usual spot and talk together then?" She nodded, her stomach churning with anticipation.

A quarter of an hour later they both stood in the abandoned classroom that had become their safe haven over the past few weeks. It was a quiet place, with sunlight streaming in from the tall windows (which faced the back of the castle) with all of the desks pushed together to create a massive table, and all of the stools stacked neatly at the back. Its emptiness didn't seem eerie, just peaceful, and it had quickly become one of Marlene's favourite places in the castle - although that might be because it was the only place she got to be alone with Sirius. She walked over to the teacher's desk and leaned against it. Sirius joined her a moment later, standing next to her.

"Can I go first?" He asked tentatively. Marlene considered it, but she knew that if she didn't say it now, she may never be able to get the words out. Unfortunately, he felt the same way.

"No."

"'Lene…"

"Sirius please, this is important."

"So is this!"

"I know, but listen-"

"If I don't say this now, I'll never say it."

"That's how I feel, now could you just-"

"No, you _have_ to let me go first.

"Sirius, look, I-"

" _I'm in love with you!"_

His words cut across her voice and echoed around the classroom. As soon as they'd escaped his mouth, he seemed to relax slightly and then looked sheepish. "I'm sorry." He said. "It's the truth, but I shouldn't have interrupted you and I - I just needed to get it out."

She nodded silently, and leaned in closer. And then, in the ghost of a whisper:

"I love you too." His eyes widened, and before she knew it, he was standing in front of her, his hands on either side of her hips, effectively trapping her there.

"What did you just say?" He asked incredulously."

"I _said_ that I'm in love with you too, you pr-"

He kissed her before she could finish.


	4. Day 3 - Their friends find out

Christmas in the Potter household was no joke. Everything, from the tree, to the decorations, to the Christmas dinner was exuberantly extravagant and taking care of it all was a massive job. Consider that the Potters only had house elves in the loosest sense and that they'd been expressly forbidden to do any work over the holiday, it was probably a good thing that Lily, Remus, Peter, Marlene, Alice, Frank and Mary had decided to spend Christmas with James and Sirius. Even a house as big as Potter manor didn't have seven guest rooms (only six), so Lily decided to sleep in James' room. For some reason, Sirius insisted on letting Remus have his bedroom and sleeping in the guest wing - in retrospect, this should have made the big reveal of the weekend all the more obvious, but everyone just dismissed it as one of his whims.

Sirius and Marlene spent the majority of the day before Christmas not talking to each other at all - Sirius was helping Lily out with decorating the house while James and Marlene were hard at work trimming the tree. Frank and Remus were cooking dinner and Alice and Peter handled the leftover tasks. It was a busy day for all of them, and as a result, they were fairly exhausted (and hungry) by the evening.

o-O-o

"Hello." Lily said, leaning against the door frame. James scrambled into a sitting position, shutting his book and putting it on the bedside table.

"Hey." He said softly. "Done decorating?"

"Yes." Lily sighed tiredly.

"Do you want to rest for a bit, love?" She rubbed her eyes and then shook her head.

"No, it's almost time for dinner - Remus said Frank would have the chicken out of the oven by eight, so…" James got up and moved to the door, also leaning against the frame.

"Alright." He said, reaching up a hand to softly caress her cheek. "We should probably - hey hold on!" His eyes drifted upwards as he noticed that a sprig of mistletoe hung in their doorway. "Did you do this?" He asked, looking down at her with a mischievous smile. Her confused expression made him think not.

"I - I don't know how that got there, Sirius must have put it there as a l-" She was cut off as he bent down and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close. She relaxed and slid her arms around his neck, leaning into him.

Too soon, they broke away, and Lily took his hand.

"Let's get everyone else and go down to dinner." She said. He nodded.

o-O-o

"I missed you." Marlene said as she strode into Sirius' room, shut the door behind her and promptly got into bed next to him.

"Don't you want to give me time to put my shirt on first?" Sirius asked smirking. Marlene shook her head and put her arms around him, snuggling into his bare chest. "I missed you too." He said in a more serious tone. "It's insane, I can't blame this on us keeping it a secret, I haven't even been able to _talk_ to you today." Marlene nodded silently.

"Maybe we should-" She began and then stopped.

"What?"

"Maybe there's no point in keeping it a secret anymore."

"Really?"

"Well…yes." Marlene propped her head up on his chest, gazing straight into Sirius' eyes. "The whole point of us keeping it a secret at first was so that we'd have a chance to see where this was going without the added pressure of everyone knowing. But I don't need that anymore. I know where this is going."

"And where would that be?"

"I love you." She said blithely. "And you love me too, and I can't imagine a day when those two sentences wouldn't be true anymore. And I just…fail to see the point in hiding it. I want to be able to hold your hand and kiss you without having to think twice so…yes, I don't think this needs to be a secret anymore." Sirius seemed to looking at her quite strangely. It reminded her of how he'd looked at her the night they'd gotten together. "What?"

"I love you so incredibly much Marlene McKinnon."

"I love you too Sirius Black." She whispered, lowering her head to kiss him. His hands, previous resting on her hips, wrapped around her entirely, and soon they were lost in a world of their own. Their kisses deepened and became increasingly more passionate until eventually they had to break away for air. They didn't stop, however. Sirius shifted a little and they both ended up on their sides, kissing each other wherever they could for all was worth. This was significantly easier for Marlene due to Sirius' half-clothed status, but he evened the score by dipping his hands underneath her shirt and softly stroking her stomach and back. He began to kiss down her throat and Marlene arched her back, looking up at the ceiling and wondering why everything was so much brighter. It took her a millisecond to realise that it wasn't her imagination that had caused so much more of the room to be illuminated, it was the fact that someone had opened the door. She sat up suddenly, practically knocking Sirius off her and they both stared at the doorway in horror.

o-O-o

" _MY EYES!"_ James groaned, burying his head in his hands. Alice and Mary began laughing uncontrollably, the sound echoing down the halls, while Peter looked a little embarrassed to have walked in on such a scene. Lily and Remus wore twin smiles of amusement - that is, until Lily turned around and said:

"I thought it was _you!"_ Remus' expression turned into one of confusion.

"What? How is that even possible?"

"Well, a couple of months ago, she mentioned that she was in _love-"_

"So you figured it was me?"

"Well, it was either you or-"

"Could we stop discussing this?" Sirius asked loudly as Marlene scrambled off the bed, finger-combing her hair nervously.

"Could _you_ please put on a shirt?" James retorted, finally deigning to look up again.

"Fine." Sirius said, bouncing off the bed too and making his way over to the cupboard.

"DINNER'S READY!" The sound of Frank's magically amplified voice made its way down the hall, and Lily's face broke into a grin.

"Well, it seems that we have a _lot_ to discuss this Christmas eve." She said, giggling. Everyone started to make their way to the kitchen as Sirius let out a small sound of protest. Marlene took his hand as they exited the room.

"It's okay." She said. "We can do this."


	5. Day 4 - Graduation

"Sirius Black!"

Sirius flashed a grin at Marlene before clambering up on stage. Marlene watched him shake Professor McGonagall's hand with a faraway expression on her face. Ever since graduation had started, she'd been overcome with a growing sense of nostalgia, and it only worsened as time went on. Right now, it was something she could ignore, choosing to instead pay attention to how handsome and uncharacteristically strait-laced her boyfriend looked.

"Lily Evans!" Lily looked beautiful. It was so strange to imagine a world where their interactions would be completely divorced from school life. Of course, their friendship was far more significant than the usual bond between classmates, but they'd spent so _much_ time together at Hogwarts. It was almost surreal to think that she wouldn't wake up to Lily's (bloody annoying) alarm clock and have to fight for her right to use the bathroom first, or that she wouldn't spend her evenings doing last minute homework and trying to bribe Lily into letting her use her notes.

"Marlene McKinnon!" Oh my goodness. This was it - this was the last time she'd ever hear her name called in this hall, the last time she'd ever walk up these steps. _Not_ the last time she'd ever see Professor Dumbledore, but certainly the last time she'd refer to him in such a manner. The feeling got worse and she felt her stomach tighten. She managed a watery smile as she shook his hand and tried to grin as she looked at her classmates. The Great Hall was so empty with only seventh years occupying the space. She walked back down the steps to the dais and took her seat, trying not to cry.

"James Potter!" _Oh god, she couldn't do this._

o-O-o

Where the hell was Marlene? She wasn't in her assigned seat, nor next to Lily or Mary or…with a shock, Sirius realised that she wasn't in the Great Hall at all.

"Prongs." He said urgently to the boy next to him (damn alphabetical seating).

"Hm?"

"I think Marlene's left." A few seconds passed before James responded.

"Alright, go, I'll create a diversion."

"Thanks mate."

Sirius never got to stay long enough to find out precisely what the diversion was, although he wished he had. From the snippets that he heard before he slipped away, it involved James grabbing Lily and making a huge show about the Head Girl and Head Boy's speech to the whole year regardless of the fact that it wasn't part of the ceremony. But that wasn't important now - where was Marlene. He only had to ponder the question for a few seconds before he realised what the obvious answer was.

o-O-o

"Hey." Marlene glanced up at him, as he sat down next to her in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. "I didn't get the note about the ceremony being moved here." She didn't smile. "Hey." He said in a softer tone, putting an arm around her gently. "What's wrong?"

"Graduation." She said in a soft voice. "This - us - the war. Everything." Sirius pulled her into him, kissing the top of her head. She relaxed slightly.

"Are you sad about leaving?"

"Most the time, when people graduate, there are tears. Patterns are broken, choices are made, and it usually means letting go of a lot of things. But it's also supposed to be exciting and invigorating. We're meant to look out at the world and see all of these amazing possibilities, not…not the war. I spent my childhood here - I've made more memories at Hogwarts than anywhere else. It's home. And now it isn't. This past week, all I've thought about is my lasts. My last exam, my last set of results, my last lesson, my last quidditch match, my last night in the Gryffindor dormitories, the last time I'm packing my trunk, the last time I speak in the Great Hall-" Her voice cracked. "It's stupid, so stupid, but it hurts Sirius, and I just…I have nothing to look forward to."

"That isn't true 'Lene." She looked up at him. "Look, this war is terrible, and we both know that. And we're going to fight in it because that's all we can do to help end it, but that isn't _all_ we're going to do. Hogwarts was…everything to me, it was the first time in my life that I actually felt comfortable living somewhere and I'm blooming upset to let it go as well. But it isn't like we're going straight from here to a battlefield. There'll be other things too - like…us living in our own flat. And staying out late without the threat of curfew. And being able to order firewhisky without lying about our age. And…" Marlene let out a giggle.

"And not have Lily walking in on us all the time."

"And going to James and Lily's wedding."

"And apparating wherever we want."

"See?" Sirius asked, cupping her face gently. "It's so much more than the war 'Lene. It's freedom and independence and finally _finally_ being allowed to actually _help_ this messed-up situation. Isn't that worth being happy about?" Marlene nodded silently.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too." He said, kissing her lips softly.


	6. Day 5 - James and Lily's wedding

" _You may now kiss."_

Marlene smiled at the distinct omission of the last part of the commonly used phrase, and then stood up as Sirius pulled her to her feet. They both proceeded to cheer, clap, and hoot for all they were worth. They were still going long after they'd stopped kissing, and only quelled once they realised that it was time for dinner. Marlene felt the curious glances of many guests, but didn't stop - after all, this wasn't Petunia's wedding. No one was overly judgmental or unaware of how long Marlene and Sirius had waited for this day.

She grinned as they walked to the enchanted tent, promptly taking a seat next to Lily. She surreptitiously admired her best friend. Lily wore a gown that was intricate yet simple. It had a hoop skirt and an off-the-shoulders bodice with an elegant lacework that made it look all the more pretty. Her makeup was minimal and (contrary to popular opinion) wearing her hair down made her look even more beautiful.

Marlene glanced at James, who seemed to be gazing at his girlfriend _wife_ with the same adoration he'd looked at her with for the past seven years. There was something different about the two of them though - Marlene couldn't quite put her finger on it, but they both seemed more comfortable, more connected, more joyous. She wasn't old-fashioned enough to believe that this was because of the all-powerful bond that holy matrimony now encompassed them in ( _please_ ), but she couldn't help but wonder if it was just the effect of them having the chance to take a day off to celebrate their love and revel in it. She had to admit, much like love, she could feel her skepticism about marriage lessening the longer she stared at them.

"So, Evans-" Sirius began from next to James before he was promptly silenced by his best friend.

"Potter." James corrected. The obvious happiness on his face was almost enough to break Marlene's heart.

"Sure, whatever." Sirius said, although the twinkle in his eyes belied the nonchalance of his words. " _Potter,_ how does it feel to officially be shackled to James for the rest of your life?" Lily laughed, while James looked slightly affronted.

"I guess I could have explored other options…" She began, clearly enjoying the look of alarm on her new husband's face. "But I can't think of a better person to be 'shackled' to." She turned to James, and although her next words were supposed to be a response to Sirius, Marlene got the distinct impression that she was saying them to James. "It feels fantastic." James grinned and captured her lips in a kiss that lasted an uncomfortably long time. Remus and Peter looked away while Marlene and Sirius communicated silently with the language of their looks.

o-O-o

"Alright, alright." Sirius said loudly, getting to his feet and clinking his champagne glass. James and Lily broke apart, smiling and looking up at him. "Now, as the best man, I get to say a few words, and I would be very much obliged if you'd all listen." He turned to James. "Prongs - your love for Lily has often been the bane of my existence." James and Lily laughed and Marlene couldn't help giggling at her boyfriend's antics. "No, I'm not joking, honestly - the number of times I have had my shirts ruined with your tears after she rejected you is ridiculous - although that was mainly because she rejected you so many bloody times that I began to fear that James would end up alone. Despite this, however, James never gave up. Oh sure, he _said_ he did, several times, but as the three of us-" He gestured to himself, Remus, and Peter. "-can confirm, that isn't true. And besides - she did eventually realise that she was madly in love with him too. So maybe these two are made for each other after all. James - you're the brother I should have had. You took a snarky, unhappy boy in first year and gave him a reason to smile. And when I lost the _actual_ bane of my existence - my family and household home - you took me in as though there was no question of me living anywhere else. You've never let me feel alone or unwanted, and for that, I'm forever grateful. And Lily - you're a magnificent human being and one of my best friends. If I didn't love you so darn much, I would have had qualms about letting you marry Prongs, but it turns out that I'm equally as protective of you both. You both give me faith." Sirius eyes shifted to Marlene then and she struggled to wipe her eyes as she raised an eyebrow at him. "You make me believe in love. And now, you've made me believe in marriage, and it is for that very reason that I _know_ that your relationship will last forever." He raised his glass and grinned. "To James and Lily."

There was a chorus of cheers and a bit of scuffling as James and Lily both got up to hug Sirius. Eventually, Sirius was once again the only one standing.  
"And now, please direct your attention to my beautiful girlfriend and the maid of honour - Marlene McKinnon. Marlene could feel herself shaking a little as she stood. She picked up her glass and smiled a little.

"First of all - if any of this sounds similar to Sirius' speech, it's because he's a plagiarising git." She said, even though neither of them had seen each other's speeches beforehand. She waited for everyone to stop chuckling and then continued.

"Lily, my darling, you can be so incredibly _stubborn."_ They laughed at that. "Be it about borrowing footwear or the precise intentions of James Potter. And over time I have seen this obstinacy grow into acquiescence and then acceptance and finally approval. Because whether you saw it or not, my dear, you were always in love with James Potter, you were just too darn adamant to notice. But there's something to be said about the fact that it was always obvious to everyone else because today, seeing you sitting in a wedding dress with that ring on your finger, nothing could be more clear - you two belong together. You always have and you always will, and that is something that is unalterable. As you both know - I haven't had the best experience with relationships myself, and I was quite determined to grow up an old maid - I was actually quite miffed when you declined to join me, James. But you two - with your sickening cuteness and nauseatingly sweet ways, you two made me believe in love. You made me see that it isn't just some elusive myth - it actually exists. And honestly, that's probably the only explanation as to why Sirius and I - the most skeptical people alive - ended up together. And looking at you two right now - I-"

She felt her voice break. She couldn't believe she was about to say this. "I believe in marriage too." The shocked expressions on her friends' faces weren't unexpected, although Sirius was looking at her quite strangely. "I'm about to start bawling so - James, you're my childhood. Lily, you're my sister. No two people are more perfect for each other or deserve more happiness so-" She raised her glass. "To James and Lily!"

The cheers that followed were distracting, but her eyes didn't move from Sirius'. She hugged James and Lily and then followed him out to the garden.

o-O-o

He kissed her furiously as soon as she was close enough, practically lifting her off her feet. She reciprocated with just as much fervour, tangling her fingers in the hair on the nape on his neck. There was a strange quality to these kisses - not desperation or passion, but something else….It only took Marlene a few seconds to realise that it was love, mixed with tremendous joy. Sirius broke away from her lips and began to kiss every inch of her face, whispering something in a reverent voice, almost like a prayer. It was only when he reached the tip of her nose that she realised what it was.

"What did you just say?" She asked in a shocked tone. He pulled away, letting his hands drop to her waist.

"Marry me." He said simply. Her shock must have been evident because he immediately stepped away and began rummaging through his pockets. "This isn't extemporaneous, I swear - look, I even have a ring!" He pulled out a small blue velveteen box triumphantly. Marlene couldn't stop her mouth from dropping open.

"What - what - how-"

"It's a Potter family heirloom." Sirius said proudly. "Lily has the other one, but as I recall, you like diamonds better than gold anyway."

"But - how did you-"

"I know you 'Lene." He said, lightly chucking her chin before moving away again. "Besides, how long could you resist me anyhow?" She rolled her eyes, but it didn't matter because she was already grinning. He got down on one knee and opened the box. She held in a gasp. The ring was magnificent, and the way the light caught the diamonds made it look even more beautiful.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes." Sirius stood up, put the ring on her hand, and touched his lips to hers in one smooth gesture. She twined her arms around her neck and kissed him back for all was worth, ignoring the happy tears that fell from her eyes.

o-O-o

Where do you think Sirius and Marlene are?" James asked his wife as they moved around the dance floor. She shrugged, but there was a knowing smile on her face.

"Well, it just seems quite obvious to me, there's no knowing what a boyfriend and girlfriend get up to." James grimaced a little.

"Or fiancées." He said, grinning. She nodded.


	7. Day 6 - Marlene's death

" _It has been 12 hours and there is still no word on the exact number who survived the attack on Ministry of Magic yesterday."_

It was remarkable how differently Lily and Sirius dealt with grief. She sat on the sofa, with her hands splayed protectively over her swollen belly, staring into the flames with an odd sort of determination. Sirius, on the other hand, couldn't stop pacing.

James, Peter, Remus, Marlene - they'd all gone. Why hadn't he gone? Why hadn't he joined them? Lily hadn't gone either, but at least she could reassure herself with the fact that she was sodding pregnant. Why hadn't he gone? He could have gone. Maybe if he'd gone, he wouldn't have to deal with this - the constant fear, the growing anxiety, the inexplicable need to think of horrible scenarios that may well have happened….

"You were sick." Lily's voice cut through his thoughts and he glanced up at her. "It isn't your fault." Her words were reassuring, but she spoke in a tone devoid of expression, her eyes not moving from the flames. Sirius sat down next to her and put an arm around her. She blinked a few times, and her eyes filled with anguish - but not tears. They'd both passed that stage a while ago. Now it was denial. And hope, of course.

 **13 hours:** Still nothing

 **14 hours:** Maybe they should eat something - and Lily should sleep too, it couldn't be good for her to stay up for so long.

 **15 hours:** Neither slept, but they had eaten some makeshift sandwiches.

 **16 hours:**

" _We have managed to break through some of the protective enchantments. The attack on the death eaters was short, although two reporters still ended up grievously injured and we have two suspects in custody. The few remaining fled, probably to communicate the results to You-Know-Who. As for those who fought on behalf on the ministry - approximately 27 are reported to have survived. A full list of those dead should be available shortly."_

27 out of 105. 27 out of 105. That was approximately 1/5, right? 1/5 survived, 4/5 dead….1/5 survived, 4/5 dead, 1/5 survived, 4/5 dead.

Oh God, please let them be part of that 1/5, please please please please….

 **17 hours:** " _After confirmation, here is a full list of those dead…"_

Gideon and Fabian Prewett, Dorcas Meadowes, Julia Havisham, Muriel Weasley, Arabella Nott, Theodora Crouch, Caroline Dearborn, Evie Reynolds, Emmaline Vance…. _no no no no no no_

No James, Remus, Peter or Marlene. They were alive. And yet, neither Sirius or Lily made any attempts to celebrate. It seemed like they wouldn't believe their good fortune until they had definitive proof. They sat paralysed, listening to the scratchy radio, hoping against hope that a new pile of bodies wouldn't suddenly be found….

 **17.5 hours:**

The doorbell rang and Lily and Sirius exchanged a surprised glance. The house was surrounded by a myriad of protective spells. The only way someone could get in was…

Sirius got to the door first and flung it open. He launched himself at James first, barely registering the slight sound of pain his friend made at the impact. He didn't let him go for a long while before moving onto Remus and Peter.

"I can't believe you're-"

"We know, mate, we know." They looked like hell - they were covered in bruises and cuts, and the way James cradled his chest was concerning. But they were alive. And then, another thought occurred to Sirius.

"Where's Marlene?"

"She went to her parents' house after. She should be here shortly.

 **19 hours:**

They'd said shortly…

Sirius got up, just about to leave the house when a silver apparition suddenly seemed to launch itself into the living room. The lynx looked around, and spoke in Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep voice:

"Attack on the McKinnon house. No survivors."

And just like that, Sirius stopped breathing.

 **However much time later:**

No survivors.

No survivors.

No survivors.

No survivors.

The more he said it, the more true it became, and yet he couldn't stop it from echoing in his mind. Marlene was dead. Her sister was dead, her funny father and doting mother were dead, they were all dead, the McKinnons were dead.

She couldn't be dead but she was. What were the last words he'd said to her? Be safe? Had he told her he loved her? When had he last told her he loved her?

This couldn't be true, Marlene couldn't just fucking DIE, they were supposed to _live_. They were supposed to fight together, or die together, that was how it was. Oh God, they were supposed to get married - their wedding was next week - he had to cancel the booking and give away the tux and he'd never get to see her in her dress or walking down the aisle or….

Oh God, she was _dead._ She was _GONE._ He'd never kiss her again or hold her again or laugh with her again. He could never do anything with her again because she was _gone._

Gone. Dead. Never coming back. Gone. Dead.

When was the last time he'd slept? He couldn't quite remember.

Gone. Dead. Never coming back. Gone. Dead.

Was that why these black spots were dancing in front of his eyes?

Gone. Dead. Never coming back. Gone. Dead.

His chest didn't usually feel this tight…was it always this hard to breathe?

Gone. Dead…

Black.


	8. Day 6 - Sirius in Azkaban

It was his fault. Of course it was. It was his fault they were dead. All his fault. Because he had to switch secret keepers of course. He had to trust bloody Peter. Maybe if they hadn't switched, everything would have been okay - sure, the death eaters had ways to make them talk, but he would have done anything to protect them. He would have spent days being tortured, endured the most horrific treatment. He would have died for them.

But he never got the chance.

So now he was here, because everyone thought that he'd killed them. And he supposed he had - it was his fault, after all. But Peter was still out there and Harry…Harry had to grow up in a world with no parents. He would never know how much his parents had loved him, how much everyone had loved him. He'd been such a wonderful child - so tiny and brilliant and adorable - and he'd been Sirius' Godson. He remembered how happy he'd been when James had told him, the thought of being able to help raise a child after everything terrible he'd suffered…

But of course, he never got that chance either.

Poor Harry. He wondered who had him now. Remus? No, Remus would never have 'risked' Harry's life in that way. It should have been Marlene, but of course, she was dead too.

Dead dead dead, they were all dead.

She was dead and yet he could still see her, as he always had. Beautiful with her blazing brown eyes and flowing blonde hair - her eyes had always been so vibrant and full of life…until they weren't, of course. Until they were blank, unseeing, devoid of life…

Her funeral had been the second-worst day of his life.

She'd always been so brave, and yes, he'd admit it now, when it didn't matter, when there was no one to be falsely arrogant with - she'd been braver than he could ever hope to be, and it was something he'd always admired her for. But of course, her bravery and compassion had lead to her death.

Dead. They were all dead.

He wondered what things were like on the other side of those bars. He wondered if Harry was happy. He wondered if Remus hated him - not that he could fault him. He hated himself. He wondered if Peter was still alive - would he ever get the chance to kill him? After losing so much, it was one of the only things he truly wanted anymore.

He would have died to bring them back.

He would have died to have them live.

But it didn't matter, none of it did.

o-O-o

Ah, time for food. And for the dementors to attempt to suck some of his happiness away. He wondered if they hated him most because he never had anything to offer them. He never thought about 'happy' things anymore, he scarcely knew the meaning of the word. All those wonderful memories that he still possessed…they were a treasure he'd never permit himself to enjoy.

Maybe one day - the day he escaped and got his revenge, maybe that day, he'd open the chest and let himself remember and properly mourn the death of his best friends and everything horrible that had happened that night.

But until then, he wouldn't give himself - or them - the satisfaction.

And so it all starts again.

Dead dead dead, they were all dead.


	9. Day 6 - Beyond the Veil

Falling.

Ice.

White.

Sirius opened his eyes as soon as he landed, surprised to see that he was lying under the frozen Whomping Willow. Was this - was he…?

It all came back at once and he breathed in a gasp and struggled to get to his feet when he remembered. The ministry, the fighting, Harry, Bellatrix…

Sirius Black knew he was dead.

What he most certainly did _not_ know was what he was doing here. He looked down at his person, and to his shock, realised that he was no longer dressed in his wizarding robes. Instead, he wore a Hogwarts school uniform. His hands didn't look fatigued. His hair was short again. He was young again… _He was fifteen again._

What the hell did this mean? Was he going to spend the rest of his….existence stuck in some perpetual reminder of his glory days? Suddenly he heard something. He could almost feel his ears prick up, but he didn't need to struggle to recognise who it was.

James.

Sirius glanced down at the opening at the base of the tree, made obvious by its still state. So this was his choice - he'd heard enough people talk about death to know. If he slid down the passage, he'd return to the realm of the living - in some form of an imprint, probably as a ghost. If he didn't, he'd officially move _on_. He almost did it. He wanted nothing more than to help Harry, but then the voice grew louder and he knew.

He wouldn't be much use as a ghost and besides - if he had a chance to see James again - to see _her_ again, would he really be able to let it go?

The force of the impact knocked him to the ground but Sirius didn't care. They were both laughing uncontrollably, but Sirius knew that they were crying too, and for the first time in much too long, he felt a lightness in his chest that hadn't truly been there since they'd died.

"You made it up here too soon, Padfoot."

"I could say the same of you."

"I guess but - it wasn't supposed to be like this, you should have lived longer."

"Were you not watching?"

"Of course I was - 'not a day goes by that I don't miss your father' - never pegged you for the sentimental kind Black."

"Sod off Prongs."

"I missed you too, mate."

They got up and leaned against the trunk as Sirius marvelled at their surroundings.

"Prongs?"

"Hm?"

"Where is she?"

o-O-o

For the third time that day, Sirius was knocked to the ground, although it didn't really matter to him. They settled on their sides and he brushed the hair out of her face. She pulled his mouth to hers and they kissed, and for the first time in a long time, Sirius felt his heart jump and his stomach flutter. He pulled her closer and, wrapped in each other's arms, they proceeded to kiss for a very long time. Eventually he pulled back, but only so that he could kiss every inch of her face.

"I thought I'd never see you again." He said, tasting the salt of her tears. His cheeks were wet too, but it didn't matter.

"The feeling's mutual."

"When you died, I felt…"

"I know, Sirius, I saw it all."

"God 'Lene, I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too." She was crying again.

"I can't believe - this is insane - I mean-"

"I know Sirius, I know." He looked straight into her eyes then, gazing into them intensely.

"I love you Marlene McKinnon." She smiled. The last time she'd heard those words had been the eve of her death.

"I love you too."


	10. Day 7 - AU Raising Harry

**AU: Raising Harry:**

"Do you have everything?" Sirius demanded in what he hoped was a stern voice. Harry looked unfazed.

"Yes."

"Books? Spells? Cauldron? Owl? Marlene, what am I forgetting?"

"Wand?"

"No, something else…hold on, do you have socks?" Marlene and Harry exchanged a look of befuddlement.

"I suppose?" Sirius put his hand on his hips and narrowed his eyes.

"Show me your shoes, young man." Harry's eyes widened.

"What, _now?_ No, I have my school socks but-"

" _What? You're not wearing socks?_ Harry James Potter, you march on up there and put some on right now!"

"Uncle-"

"Don't 'Uncle' me! It is cold outside and I am not having you fall ill from cold feet!"

"But it's warm!" Sirius pointed a finger up the stairs and Harry sighed, walking up the stairs slowly.

After a few seconds, Sirius realised Marlene was giggling. He walked over to her and seized her around the waist, drawing her to him. She still didn't stop laughing.

"What's so funny?" He asked petulantly.

"No, I just remember how much of a rebel you thought you were at school - and now you're practically having kittens over the thought of Harry forgetting his socks."

"Oi!" Sirius said. "It gets cold in September!" Marlene just laughed harder, her eyes started to water. "Shut it McKinnon." He growled out of habit. She just smiled and turned to kiss him.

"It's Black, my darling." She whispered against his lips.

o-O-o

"Alright, and be careful, okay? Pay attention during your classes-"

"It's alright if you fall asleep in History of Magic though." Sirius interjected. Marlene shot him a look and then continued.

"Work hard and do your best."

"And be sure to try out for Quidditch." Sirius said with a wink." Marlene rolled her eyes and then pulled Harry into a tight hug, kissing the top of his head.

"I'll miss you." She said, ruffling his hair affectionately. Sirius picked Harry up in his arms and held him tight, relishing the closeness before putting him down again.

"I thank God everyday for you. Make your father proud." He said. As he watched Harry step onto the train, he felt his eyes fill up with tears. Marlene squeezed his hand and he looked down at her gratefully, smiling a little.

"Let's go home." She said.

o-O-o

Marlene pulled Sirius' book away from him. He let out a sound of protest before he noticed the look on her face.

"What are you thinking?" He asked. She nimbly leaped on top of him. The couch sunk a little with their combined weight. He slid his hands down to her waist, and she cupped his face lightly before bringing her lips teasingly close to his. "We're alone." She whispered.


	11. Day 7 - AU They lived

**AU: They lived:**

Sirius knocked James to the ground as he barreled into him. He felt his best friend let out a sound of surprise, but he didn't care.

"You're alive!" Sirius practically yelled. "You're fucking alive!" James patted his back, and shifted a little under him. Sirius sat up, and James fixed his glasses, getting up with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah." He said in a weak voice. "I don't know how, but we're both alive." It had seemed impossible, but Sirius' grin grew even wider.

"Lily?" He called, getting up. She appeared in the doorway and he enveloped her in a hug, picking her up and swinging her around in glee.

"You both survived!" He said. His voice broke a little then, and he quickly wiped his eyes. "I'm so happy you both lived."

Lily nodded tiredly, and James put an arm around her shoulders.

"I don't know what I would have done without you." Sirius said mournfully. James shook his head.

"Lucky for you, you don't even have to imagine it."

"Sirius?" Lily said in a small voice. "Last night's battle was widespread and all of the Order members on patrol were posted in different areas-"

"Did you find out where she is?" Sirius interrupted in a tense tone. Lily nodded, biting her lower lip nervously.

"Yes, but I - I don't know if she made it." Sirius felt a sharp pang of pain in his chest, but he shook his head resolutely.

"She did. She had to." He said definitively.

o-O-o

The dizziness stopped and for the second time that day, Sirius opened his eyes to a scene of ruin. He felt dread seize his stomach and he forced himself to breathe. Many impossible things had happened in the past few hours. If James and Lily could survive, and Voldemort could be defeated…Marlene could live. She _did._

He walked towards the abandoned warehouse - now just a series of standing doorways and walls - where the majority of the fighting had taken place. The fear threatened to paralyse his limbs but he forced himself to keep walking. _He had to see her. He had to know._

His heart almost stopped when he saw her leaning against a wall, struggling to get into a more comfortable position. Her hair was dirty and matted with blood, and the way she winced with pain wasn't reassuring. But she was moving. She was breathing. _She'd lived._

He ran towards her, falling to his knees and taking her into his arms before he could even catch his breath. He felt her sigh and weakly hold him back before he brought her face up to his and kissed her for all was worth. He broke away eventually and began to kiss her eyelids, her cheeks, her lips, her nose, her forehead, everywhere he could.

"I can't fucking believe you lived." He said in a disbelieving tone, holding her close again. He felt her fingers curl loosely into his shirt.

"Me neither." She said in a thin voice.

"I thought I - I was so scared-"

"Shh." She said soothingly. "It's over. We lived."


End file.
